Apparatus and method for the automated and simultaneous preparation and changing of at least two rolls of paper webs or the like for a downstream garniture cutter

ABSTRACT

The invention concerns an apparatus for the automated and simultaneous preparation and changing of at least two rolls of paper webs or the like for a downstream garniture cutter, including at least two roll stations arranged one behind the other, wherein each roll station has two carriers with two carrying arms movable up and down and movable horizontally with elements for receiving a full roll, holding the roll which is in production and discharging the residual roll, wherein all the roll stations have a common transfer track which is arranged above the roll stations and by means of which the unrolled paper webs can be delivered one above the other in the direction of transport to the downstream garniture cutter, which is distinguished by the fact that a common transport element is provided a) for delivery of full rolls to the roll stations and b) for discharge of residual rolls from the roll stations, the transport element being constructed in such a way that the full rolls and residual rolls are moved transversely to their longitudinal axis during changing. Furthermore, the invention concerns a corresponding method.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the priority of German Patent Application No. 10 2005 002 532.3 filed Jan. 14, 2005, the subject matter of which is incorporated herein by reference. The disclosure of all U.S. and foreign patents and patent applications mentioned below are also incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns an apparatus for the automated and simultaneous preparation and changing of at least two rolls of paper webs or the like for a downstream garniture cutter, including at least two roll stations arranged one behind the other, wherein each roll station has two carriers with two carrying arms movable up and down and movable horizontally with elements for receiving a full roll, holding the roll which is in production and discharging the residual roll, wherein all the roll stations have a common transfer track which is arranged above the roll stations and by means of which the unrolled paper webs can be delivered one above the other in the direction of transport to the downstream garniture cutter.

Furthermore, the invention concerns a method for the automated and simultaneous preparation and changing of at least two rolls of paper webs or the like for a downstream garniture cutter, including the steps of: delivering full rolls to several roll stations arranged one behind the other, receiving the full rolls and unrolling the rolls which are then in production, separating the paper webs from the rolls, discharging the residual rolls from the roll stations.

Methods and apparatuses of this kind are used in particular in the paper-processing industry. For the delivery of paper webs to garniture cutters, for example large- and small-format garniture cutters, the generic apparatuses are mounted in front of the latter. In this case, full paper rolls or the like are received in several roll stations arranged one behind the other, unrolled in the latter and delivered via a common transfer track to the garniture cutter. When the rolls are unwound completely or as far as possible, they must be changed for new full rolls. For this purpose the unwound residual rolls are discharged from the roll stations, and new rolls are delivered to the roll stations.

With known apparatuses and methods in which delivery of the rolls (transversely to their longitudinal axis) takes place in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus, the rolls are transported individually and one after the other by means of handling devices such as e.g. a crane to the individual roll stations. This leads to considerable down-time of the apparatus and hence also of the downstream garniture cutter. With other known apparatuses and methods, at least one of the operations of a) delivery of full rolls or b) discharge of the residual rolls takes place in the longitudinal direction of the rolls/residual rolls. Delivery and/or discharge of the rolls/residual rolls in the longitudinal direction of the rolls/residual rolls takes place laterally out of the roll station. This, however, requires considerable space, because where necessary more than three times the width of the paper rolls must be provided to ensure handling during delivery and discharge. These space requirements, however, are frequently not met in various production locations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a compact apparatus which ensures delivery of full rolls to the roll stations and discharge of residual rolls from the roll stations at the optimum time. Further, it is the object of the present invention to propose a simple and reliable method which allows space-saving handling of full rolls and residual rolls at the optimum time.

This object is firstly achieved by an apparatus with the characteristics mentioned hereinbefore by the fact that a common transport element is provided a) for delivery of full rolls to the roll stations and b) for discharge of residual rolls from the roll stations, whereby the transport element is constructed in such a way that the rolls and residual rolls are moved transversely to their longitudinal axis during changing. As a result, delivery and discharge in the direction of transport of the paper webs are possible. In other words, delivery and/or discharge take place from the front and/or behind, so that, even in narrow production locations, automated changing of the rolls is ensured. The common transport element also has a particularly space-saving and structurally simple construction. Further, the design according to the invention allows preparation of rolls parallel to production, so that down-times are minimised or even completely prevented.

Preferably, the transport element comprises a guide rail which extends from a preparation zone outside the stations in front of the roll stations in the direction of transport of the paper webs, into the changing zone of the last of the roll stations arranged one behind the other. Thus the advantages described above are assisted still further.

Preferably, several transport receptacles are guided on or in the guide rail and movable in and opposite the direction of transport of the paper webs, wherein the number of transport receptacles preferably corresponds to the number of roll stations. This allows the parallel or simultaneous preparation of all rolls for the next roll change at all roll stations simultaneously. The above-mentioned mobility of the transport receptacles makes it possible to equip them immediately after delivery of the rolls to the roll stations, which in turn produces a saving of time.

In a preferred development of the invention, each transport receptacle can be controlled and/or driven separately. This allows the space-saving arrangement of the transport receptacles and the rolls arranged thereon in the preparation zone, as the rolls can lie here almost against each other, at only a short distance from each other, while the transport receptacles inside the roll stations have a greater distance from each other. With the above structure, there is high variability with respect to delivery of the rolls to different roll station arrangements.

Advantageously, additional elements are provided for discharging the residual rolls from the working zones of the roll stations into waiting zones inside the roll stations. This ensures that the full rolls prepared for production can be taken up immediately after discharging the residual rolls, joined to the paper webs and delivered to production. It is precisely this (changing) stage that is to be kept particularly short in order to supply the garniture cutter with paper webs as continuously as possible.

A preferred variant is characterised in that at least one sensor element is provided for control of the transport receptacles. As a result, the cycle of movement can be optimally adapted to the respective status of the apparatus.

Secondly, the object is achieved by a method with the steps mentioned hereinbefore by the fact that a) delivery of the full rolls and b) discharge of the residual rolls take place with a common transport element, whereby the rolls and residual rolls are moved transversely to their longitudinal extent throughout the changing operation. By this method, space-saving changing of the rolls at the optimum time simultaneously at several roll stations arranged one behind the other is ensured. The advantages gained by the method according to the invention have already been described above in connection with the apparatus, so that, to avoid repetition, reference is made to the corresponding paragraphs.

Preferably, the residual rolls are transported in or opposite the direction of transport of the paper webs, with the result that there is no longer any need for access from the side and the space requirements in a lateral extent are thus reduced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further preferred and/or advantageous characteristics and method steps are apparent from the subsidiary claims and the description. A particularly preferred embodiment as well as the method are described in more detail with the aid of the attached drawings. The drawings show:

FIG. 1 a schematic drawing of an apparatus for the automated and simultaneous preparation and changing of at least two rolls of paper webs or the like for a subsequent garniture cutter in a side view, consisting of three roll stations each with a roll in the production position as well as three full rolls in the preparation zone,

FIG. 2 the apparatus as in FIG. 1 with full rolls in the waiting zone of the roll stations and almost unwound rolls in the production position,

FIG. 3 the apparatus as in FIG. 2 with the full rolls in the waiting zone and residual rolls separated from the paper webs,

FIG. 4 the apparatus according to FIG. 3 with the full rolls in the splicing position and the residual rolls in a waiting position inside the roll stations,

FIG. 5 the apparatus according to FIG. 4 with rolls in the production position and the residual rolls in the discharge position, and

FIG. 6 a schematic drawing of the apparatus in a front view opposite the direction of transport of the paper webs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The shown apparatus serves to deliver several paper webs to a garniture cutter.

With the aid of FIGS. 1 and 7, the essential components of the apparatus 10 are described. The apparatus 10 consists of three roll stations 11, whereby each roll station 11 is designed to receive a full roll 12, unwind a roll 13 which is in production and discharge a residual roll 14. The roll stations 11 are arranged one behind the other in a so-called row arrangement. Alternatively, only two or more than three roll stations 11 can be arranged one behind the other in a row or in a double arrangement (not shown) or a back-to-back arrangement. The roll stations 11 are connected to each other by a common transfer track 15. The transfer track 15 is arranged above the roll stations 11 and serves to guide the path of the paper webs 16 unwound from the rolls 13 of paper or the like which are in production, in the direction of transport (arrow 17) in the direction of a garniture cutter (not shown). The paper webs 16 are in this case guided over deflecting rolls or the like and usually arranged and guided one above the other in the transfer track 15.

Each roll station 11 includes in the shown embodiment two vertically oriented carriers 18 which are arranged parallel to and spaced apart from each other. The carriers 18 are connected to each other by a crossbar 19 running transversely to the carriers 18. Each carrier 18 is assigned a lifting element, such as e.g. a vertical spindle 20, by means of which the crossbar 19 is movable up and down by suitable drives 21. In addition, on the crossbar 19 are arranged two carrying arms 22 which are movable in a horizontal direction towards and away from each other. On the carrying arms 22 are arranged in the usual manner receiving or holding elements (not shown explicitly) for the rolls 12 to 14, which are designed as mandrels and which are oriented with their points towards each other.

Each of the roll stations 11 is fixed to a rigid base 23, e.g. factory floor or the like, and constructed like a bridge, so that there is a ground clearance beneath the roll stations 11. In other words, beneath the roll stations 11 is formed a free space 24. In this space 24 in the region of the base 23, preferably ending flush with the latter, is arranged a transport element 25 which is of rail-like construction and extends in the longitudinal direction of the apparatus 10, that is, in the direction of transport (arrow 17). The transport element 25 includes a guide rail 26 which runs centrally between the carriers 18 and is longer than the roll stations 11 arranged one behind the other. This means that the guide rail 26 also extends into a region which lies outside the roll stations 11. In the shown embodiment, the guide rail 26 in the direction of transport (arrow 17) begins in front of the roll stations 11 and there defines a so-called preparation zone 27 which serves to prepare the full rolls 12 for subsequent production. Instead of the guide rail 26, which extends out of the preparation zone 27 into a changing zone 28 below the roll stations 11 (as far as the last roll station 11 in the direction of transport (arrow 17)) and optionally also beyond it, other transport elements 25 such as e.g. conveyor belts, chains, pairs of rails or the like can be used.

Transport receptacles 29 are arranged and guided on or in the guide rail 26. The transport receptacles 29 are movable back and forth in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 26. The number of transport receptacles 29 usually corresponds to the number of roll stations 11. Each transport receptacle 29 is designed to receive and to transport a full roll 12 and can be controlled or driven separately, so that the distances between the transport receptacles 29 can vary. In the changing zone 28 of the roll stations 11, each roll station 11 is assigned an element 30 for discharging the residual rolls 14 deposited on the base 23 or guide rail 26. The element 30 includes in the shown embodiment two blocks 31 provided with an inclined surface, whereby the inclined surface slopes down in the direction of transport (arrow 17). The blocks 31 forming an “inclined plane” are arranged with adjustable height on both sides of the guide rail 26, so that it is movable out of a lower rest position, in which the highest edge of the blocks 31 at the maximum ends flush with the base 23 or is completely countersunk in the latter, into an upper working position, in which the “inclined plane” lies at least partially above the base 23, and back.

Further, the shown apparatus 10 has a sensor element 32 in the shown embodiment. The sensor element 32 includes a transmitting and receiving unit 33 and a reflector 34. The transmitting and receiving unit 33 is arranged in front of the roll stations 11 and also in front of the preparation zone 27 in the direction of transport (arrow 17), and emits a substantially horizontally directed signal. The reflector 34 is arranged on the opposite side of the apparatus 10 behind the last roll station 11 in the direction of transport (arrow 17). In the shown embodiment the sensor element 32 is movable up and down, namely out of an upper position (in FIG. 2) into a lower position (in FIG. 5) and back. Alternatively, however, separate sensor elements 32 can be provided. Other types of sensor elements 32, e.g. with separate transmitting and receiving units, and in particular those which work on the optical principle, can be used too.

In further embodiments, not shown explicitly, on or in the guide rail 26 is provided a further transport element for receiving and discharging the residual rolls 14 from the roll stations 11. The transport element can be e.g. a gripper or a lifting element similar to a fork of a fork-lift truck, and is movable back and forth in the longitudinal direction of the guide rail 26. The carrying arms 22 can also be arranged directly on the carriers 18. The orientation of the carriers 18 themselves can be vertically oriented but also inclined. The element 30 can also be designed as a transport carriage or the like with a receiving trough, which serves to transport the residual roll 14 out of its deposited position into a waiting position. The orientation of the roll stations 11 is variable too. In the shown embodiment, the carrying arms 22 point opposite the direction of transport (arrow 17). Alternatively, the arrangement of the roll stations 11 can be inverted. This means that the carrying arms 22 point in the direction of transport (arrow 17). In the last-mentioned variant, the blocks 31 with their “inclined plane” are then also oriented in such a way that the plane slopes up in the direction of transport (arrow 17).

Below, the method for simultaneously changing several rolls at roll stations 11 arranged one behind the other is described in more detail with the aid of FIGS. 1 to 5.

On the carrying arms 22 or, to be more precise, the mandrels of each crossbar 19 are located the rolls 13 which were originally full and are now in production, and which are unwound continuously during production. The paper webs 16 are guided over deflecting rolls onto the transfer track 15 where they are delivered to the garniture cutter. During production, the carrying arms 22 or mandrels are moved upwards continuously by means of the crossbar 19 or otherwise. Thus the position of the crossbar 19 or carrying arms 22, in particular the position in the vertical direction, is adapted to the changing diameter of the rolls 13 which are in production. At the same time full rolls 12 are prepared in front of the roll stations 11 in the preparation zone 27 by taking them out of the surrounding package, removing the uppermost layers of each roll 12 and orienting the rolls 12 centrally for unrolling, and laying them on the transport receptacles 29. The full rolls 12 lie one behind the other, whereby the transport receptacles 29 have a distance between them such that the full rolls 12 do not quite touch (see FIG. 1).

Loading of the roll stations 11 with new full rolls 12 takes place from behind in the direction of transport (arrow 17). With increasing production time, the diameter of the rolls 13 located on the mandrels decreases. As soon as the sensor element 32 detects freedom of space, that is, ascertains that the roll 13 with the largest (residual) diameter which is in production and the still-full roll 12 in front of the roll stations 11 with the largest diameter let through a signal in a horizontal direction, the transport receptacles 29 are set in motion, so that the full rolls 12 inside the roll stations 11 are brought into waiting positions. The rolls drawn in broken lines show the previous position of the rolls 12 (FIG. 2).

After stopping of the machine, the individual paper webs 16 are automatically separated from the residual rolls 14. In the waiting position of the full rolls 12 it is further possible for the carrying arms 22 with the residual rolls 14 to be moved downwards into a discharge/receiving position. Before the still-full roll 12 in each roll station 11 can be received by the mandrels, the residual roll 14 must be removed from the mandrels. This usually takes place by so-called “core kickers” which strip the residual roll 14 from the carrying arms 22 or mandrels. In this case the carrying arms 22 with the mandrels are moved apart from each other, so that the residual rolls 14 fall onto the base 23 or transport element 25 (FIG. 3).

By briefly lifting the blocks 31 with the inclined planes, the residual rolls 14 roll out of their deposited position beneath the carrying arms 22 into a waiting position inside the roll station 11. Then the blocks 31 are lowered again. Now there is space to move the full rolls 12 out of their waiting position by means of the transport receptacles 29 into the receiving position. As soon as the rolls 12 in their roll stations 11 and the carrying arms 22 have reached the receiving position, the carrying arms 22 close, so that the mandrels engage in the rolls 12 and hold them. After receiving the roll 12, the free end of the still rolled-up paper web is joined to the free end 35 of the paper web 16 located in the transfer track 15. This can be effected by manual or automated splicing or the like (FIG. 4).

As soon as the connection is made in all roll stations 11, production begins. During production the carrying arms 22 with the (production) rolls 13 move back up. The blocks 31 with the inclined planes are again lifted out of the rest position into an upper position above the base 23 or transport element 25, with the result that the residual rolls 14 lying on the base 23 or transport element 25 are lifted slightly. As soon as the residual rolls 14 are lifted, the transport receptacles 29 which are still in or under the roll stations 11 move opposite the direction of transport (opposite arrow 17) out of the roll stations 11 into the preparation zone 27. The transport receptacles 29 are (as in FIG. 1) immediately filled with new rolls 12 again for preparation. The residual rolls 14 are moved out of the roll stations 11 as soon as the sensor element 32 has detected freedom of space. This is achieved when the highest of the residual rolls 14 located at the bottom can no longer collide with the roll 13 with the largest diameter which is in production. Then grippers, lifters or other suitable elements move on the guide rail 26 through the roll stations 11 and pick up the residual rolls 14 and move them out forwards or backwards (FIG. 5).

The work steps described are repeated as often as desired. Due to the fact that the method described proceeds automatically, that is, the complete change of rolls too, below the roll stations 11 and hence in the whole apparatus 10 is provided a safety zone which needs not to be entered during production and changing.

The invention has been described in detail with respect to preferred embodiments, and it will now be apparent from the foregoing to those skilled in the art, that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the invention in its broader aspects, and the invention, therefore, as defined in the appended claims, is intended to cover all such changes and modifications that fall within the true spirit of the invention. 

1. Apparatus for the automated and simultaneous preparation and changing of at least two rolls of paper webs or the like for a downstream garniture cutter, including at least two roll stations arranged one behind the other, wherein each roll station has two carriers with two carrying arms movable up and down and movable horizontally with elements for receiving a full roll, holding the roll which is in production and discharging the residual roll, wherein all the roll stations have a common transfer track which is arranged above the roll stations and by means of which the unrolled paper webs can be delivered one above the other in the direction of transport to the downstream garniture cutter, characterized in that a common transport element is provided for a) delivery of full rolls to the roll stations and b) for discharge of residual rolls from the roll stations, the transport element being constructed in such a way that the full rolls and residual rolls are moved transversely to their longitudinal axis during changing.
 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the transport element includes a guide rail which extends from a preparation zone outside the roll stations, in front of the roll stations in the direction of transport of the paper webs, into the changing zone of the last of the roll stations arranged one behind the other.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that several transport receptacles are guided on or in the guide rail and movable in and opposite the direction of transport of the paper webs, wherein the number of transport receptacles preferably corresponds to the number of roll stations.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that each transport receptacle is designed to receive a full roll.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that each transport receptacle can be controlled and/or driven separately.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that in addition elements are provided for discharging the residual rolls from their deposited position in the roll stations into waiting zones inside the roll stations.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that the elements forming an “inclined plane” are arranged on both sides of the guide rail so as to be movable out of a rest position below the plane of the guide rail into a working position above the guide rail.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that on or in the guide rail are guided at least one additional transport element for receiving and discharging the residual rolls from the roll stations.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one sensor element is provided for control of the transport receptacles.
 10. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the sensor element is designed to be adjustable in height.
 11. Apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that the sensor element includes a transmitting and receiving unit and a reflector, the unit and the reflector being arranged on opposite sides of the apparatus.
 12. Method for the automated and simultaneous preparation and changing of at least two rolls of paper webs or the like for a downstream garniture cutter, including the steps of: delivering full rolls to several roll stations arranged one behind the other, receiving the full rolls and unrolling the rolls which are thus then in production, separating the paper webs from the rolls, discharging the residual rolls from the roll stations, characterized in that a) delivery of the full rolls and b) discharge of the residual rolls take place with or on a common transport element, the rolls and residual rolls being moved transversely to their longitudinal extent throughout the changing operation.
 13. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that the rolls and residual rolls are transported in or opposite the direction of transport of the paper webs.
 14. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that filling the roll stations with full rolls and emptying the roll stations of residual rolls takes place from behind and/or from the front.
 15. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that all roll changes take place simultaneously in the roll stations.
 16. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that during production, that is, during unrolling of the rolls, new full rolls are prepared for production.
 17. Method according to claim 16, characterized in that a sensor element detects when the rolls are unwound and/or moved upwards so far that the new full rolls can be moved without colliding into a waiting position inside the roll stations.
 18. Method according to claim 17, characterized in that the new rolls are moved into the waiting position as soon as the sensor unit signals the necessary freedom of space.
 19. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that the paper webs are automatically separated from the rolls and the residual rolls are then deposited.
 20. Method according to claim 19, characterized in that the residual rolls inside the roll stations are moved into a waiting position, so that the new rolls can be moved into a receiving position inside the roll stations.
 21. Method according to claim 20, characterized in that the new rolls are joined to the free ends of the rolls which were previously in production.
 22. Method according to claim 21, characterized in that the residual rolls are lifted slightly in the waiting position, so that transport receptacles are moved out of the roll stations for the preparation of further new full rolls.
 23. Method according to claim 22, characterized in that a sensor element detects when the rolls which are currently in production are unwound and/or moved upwards so far that the residual rolls can be moved without colliding out of the roll stations. 